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Obviously orangutans are much smarter as a species, they are know to pass down knowledge/behaviors, including tool usage, down generations. But there could be m
by darth_avocado 3y ago
Obviously orangutans are much smarter as a species, they are know to pass down knowledge/behaviors, including tool usage, down generations. But there could be more to this behavior. A dog instinctively knows to eat grass when they have stomach issues and Alaskan Bears eat certain plants to expel parasites after hibernation. How do they know? Zoopharmacognosy is a fascinating subject that needs more research.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoopharmacognosy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoopharmacognosy
- lsaferite 3y agoAnother one that I've been watching recently is chicks knowing to take dust baths with zero interaction with adult chickens. One reason for this behavior is apparently pest control.
- taneq 3y agoI find it interesting when people attribute abstract intentions to this kind of behaviour. The chick's probably not thinking "man I gotta dust myself for mites", it probably just feels good to get dusty. Now, the reason it feels good is probably that dust baths are correlated with fewer parasites and better overall outcomes, but I doubt the chick knows that. Same thing with cats liking scritches under their chin. They're not thinking "ah yes I am scent marking this human", scent glands are probably just itchy.
- lsaferite 3y agoSure, correlation like that is possibly a bit specious. On the topic of chicks and dust baths, it's quite interesting because as soon as they encounter dirt for the first time they all do the same things. If you've never seen it I recommend looking for a video. But it seems like a weird behavior to have in every chick I've hatched. TBH, I love seeing weird inherent behaviors emerge like that.
- ahartman00 3y agoCats can smell those scent markings though. They do also mark their territory in other ways. Our cats really do the rubbing thing during feeding, so i think they are trying to mark their territory, lol.
- wil421 3y agoWhen my wife was pregnant the doc said to let them know if she had any cravings for minerals, clay, or something weird like that. Turns out it can mean a vitamin deficiency. Not sure how the mind knows to send out a specific craving besides food and water.
- anigbrowl 3y agoThere's a school of thought that says a lot of thinking happens in the gut, which delegates tasks to the brain, so to speak.
- NoPicklez 3y agoMy gut instinctively knows I need chocolate right after eating dinner
- taneq 3y agoI reckon that's just your tongue in a silly hat with a fake mustache.
- NoPicklez 3y agoMy tongue needs to go further down on the decision making food chain
- scotty79 3y agoI have this after eating a bare steak. I think there's something about eating a lot of something that does not contain carbs that immediately turns on craving for sugar.
- abathur 3y agoI had to ponder this for a minute :) I picked up dark chocolate as a snack in early 2020, which I chose very specifically to avoid carbs. I also use cocoa powder to make low-carb ice cream for the same reason. I guess I've used it this way for long enough now that I've broken my default association between chocolate and sugar.
- iancmceachern 3y agoElephants too
- hnick 3y agoI'd considered the dog eating grass thing as more of a now-disputed myth, but maybe someone has evidence. Either way my own dog loves munching on the taller/thicker grass every time we walk, like he's a sheep. His favourite foods also include broccoli and bok choy so that could be why. I think a lot of people downplay the role plants play in a dog's diet (not required but helpful especially with processed diets that can lack organ meat etc), and they don't always get fed them at home.
- datavirtue 3y agoMy dog loves Bell peppers. She will eat any piece that hits the ground, quite greedily.
- chrisweekly 3y agomy dogs are the same -- but substitute "anything even conceivably food-related" for "Bell peppers"
- hnick 3y agoWe minded a labrador once (notorious appetites), he'd eat capsicums, and on the neighbourhood walks would even go for raw green olives that fell from trees onto the paths. I'm pretty sure they are very bitter which sensible animals interpret as poison but not he. So we had to steer away from those during that season.
- Intralexical 3y agoYou should get a sheepdog dog to herd your sheep-dog.
- hnick 3y agoHah we actually did... the younger border collie also does it, but less. Maybe he's copying his brother from another mother.
- _yb2s 3y agoI've had half a dozen dogs, and every single one of them ate grass every chance they could get- in large quantities. I also don't think it has anything to do with having an upset stomach. Dogs seem to really enjoy grass, and make it a regular part of their diet... I know they likely can't extract any calories from it, but it may have other benefits.
- Intralexical 3y agoHumans instinctively know to eat earth and clay when you have certain vitamin or mineral deficiencies, or parasite infections, too. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geophagia#Humans https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geophagia#Humans Of course, these days you're probably better off swallowing a supplement. But where's the fun in that?
- esalman 3y agoIf you're fascinated by canine instincts, wait till you hear about the super generations of monarch butterflies.
- Arete314159 3y agoWhen I had thrush but didn't know it, I craved yogurt and garlic, both of which would be excellent in restoring floral balance. I don't know how bodies know these things, but they do! It's fascinating.